Coronial
VIChospital

Finding into death of Linette Ann Hawkins

Deceased

Linette Ann Hawkins

Demographics

80y, female

Date of death

2024-09-13

Finding date

2026-01-08

Cause of death

Injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision (driver)

AI-generated summary

An 80-year-old woman died from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision after likely experiencing a seizure or similar medical episode while driving. She had a history of traumatic brain injury from 1972 and a documented seizure-like episode in December 2022 that caused a minor collision. A neurologist advised her not to drive for 12 months in February 2023 but did not formally report to VicRoads. She resumed driving in December 2023 without documented follow-up. The September 2024 collision occurred when she failed to brake at a red light and drove at high speed through an intersection, consistent with a medical episode. Key clinical lessons include the importance of formal fitness-to-drive assessment and reporting, proper documentation of medical advice to patients about driving restrictions, and consideration of mandatory reporting mechanisms for conditions affecting driving safety.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.

Specialties

neurologytrauma surgeryemergency medicineneurosurgerypalliative caregeneral practice

Error types

communicationsystem

Drugs involved

levothyroxineperindoprilrosuvastatin

Clinical conditions

traumatic brain injuryseizure disorderpost-ictal statefrontal and temporal encephalomalaciasubdural haematomasubarachnoid haemorrhagetype 2 diabeteshypercholesterolaemiahypothyroidism

Contributing factors

  • Medical episode (likely seizure relapse) while driving
  • History of traumatic brain injury from 1972
  • Seizure-like episode in December 2022 with loss of consciousness while driving
  • Failure to formally report fitness-to-drive concerns to VicRoads
  • Resumption of driving despite neurologist's 12-month driving prohibition
  • Lack of documented follow-up after MRI and EEG results
  • Voluntary reporting model for fitness-to-drive assessment in Victoria

Coroner's recommendations

  1. Introduce mandatory reporting requirement for health practitioners in Victoria to notify VicRoads when a patient's medical condition is likely to adversely affect their fitness to drive
  2. Strengthen awareness among health practitioners about their existing ethical and public health duty of care to inform patients about driving safety and to consider notifying the Department of Transport and Planning Medical Review Team when patients lack insight or are not following advice to cease driving
  3. Continue promoting the use of Austroads Guidelines to support decision-making about fitness to drive
  4. Implement formal documentation requirements for fitness-to-drive assessments and advice provided to patients
  5. Establish mandatory follow-up protocols after significant diagnostic investigations (MRI, EEG) in patients with neurological conditions affecting driving
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